Lightning-arrester.



C. H. MARTIN.

LIGHTNING ARRESTER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 23, 1917- 1 71,050. Patented July 2, 1918.

INVENTOR Clcwence H. Marin n ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CLARENCE H. MARTIN, OF ENDEAVOR, WISCONSIN.

LIGHTNING-ARRESTER.

Application filed May 23, 1917. Serial No. 170,488.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLARENCE H. MARTIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Endeavor, in the county of Marquette and State of \Visconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lightning- Arresters, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to lightning arresters and more particularly to the type in which a magnet by attracting an armature produces aground connection, so as to direct the. flow of lightning or any undesirable charge of electricity to the earth.

- The main object of the invention is to provide a simple and efficient device of this character, especially designed for protecting telephones and which is so constructed as to automatically direct and conduct an excessive flow of current to the earth and when this is effected, to immediately and automatically return to its normal condition ready for the next discharge.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction herein after deinvention herein disclosed may be made within the scope of what is claimed without 7 departing from the spirit of the invention.

non-conducting material on whichv is mounted an electrode in the form of a block 2 of carbon or other suitable material with which is connected a ground wire 3 by the usual binding post 4.

Two carbon block electrodes 5 and 6 are secured to the base 1 at points spaced from the block 2 and fromeach other as is shown clearly in Figs. 1 and 2. As shown, the con1 bined length of these blocks 5 and 6 with the space betweenthem corresponds to the length of block 2 and the outer ends of said Specification of Letters latent.

Patented July 2, 1918.

blocks 5 and 6 are arranged in alinement with the ends of block 2 for a purpose to be described. 7

A hollow spool 7 is also mounted on base 1 'and is composed of rubber or other suit-. able insulating material, and has an annular flange 8 arranged midway the ends thereof to divide the spool into two sections, on each of which is coiled a wire. A wire 9 is coiled around the left hand end of the spool and has one terminal thereof secured to the carbon block 5 by an ordinary binding post 10, the other end of this wire 9 leads to the tele phone to be protected. Another wire 11 is wound around the other portion of the spool 7 between the flange 8 and the outer flange 8 at the right hand side of the spool. One terminal of this wire 11 is connected with the carbon block 6 by a binding post 10' in a manner similar to the wire 9; The other end of the wire 11' leads to (not shown).

lwo brackets as 12 projectlaterally from the base 1 at the end opposite that which carries block 2. These brackets 12 are arranged in transverse alinement and support fiat metal strips 13 which are secured at one end to said brackets and are provided at their free ends with electrodes in the form of carbon blocks as 14, which are positioned opposite the ends of block 2 and the outer ends of blocks 5 and 6 and are normally spaced therefrom. I

Metal cores as 15 are carried by the spring strips 13 intermediately the ends thereof and are disposed-within the spool 7 as is shown clearly in'Fig. 2, said cores being adjustably connected with said springs by means of set screws as 16 to provide for the proper adjustment of the cores relatively to the springs to enable the device to operate in the manner hereinafter set forth.

By so winding the wires 9 and 11 around the spool 7 said spool is designed to operate as a magnet when an excessive current passes through either wire and hence, attracts the core 15 at the end of the spool around which the magnetized'wire is wrapped and draws said core into the spool thereby causing block 14 to engage the opposed ends of the block 2 and ofthe block 5 or 6, and thus close the circuit and permit the current to pass out through block 2 and wire 3 to the ground. When the other wire receivesan excessive charge of current, it will operate in the same the telephone,

anner and elose the a m tu t' g of'the device, pe itt an excesswei flow I of current to pass out through block 2a'nd wire 3. to the ground.

In the use of this dev1ce, the armatur es 14;

having been adjusted to that degree of sensitive ness that the line currents are normally 3 rester or any of its parts.

v 30. apparent to those skilled in the art to which insuiiicient to closethe ground connections and which is the position shown 1n F gs 1 and 2, should a lightning charge strike either of the line wires 9 or 11 or any atmospheric electrical disturbance cause an increase of potential, in the line, the-tension of. the

spring 13 enables the armature 14 to move laterally, inward ;-and thereby close .the

ground circuit allowing-the'superfluous cur: rent to escape; After the static discharge 'state 'so as to be in condition for successivelydischarging any number ofexcemive. charges or. currents imposing themselves thereon without injuring or impairing the 'a'nd cores. 3. In an arrester of the class'described, a' base of non-conducting material, an electrode mounted thereon, a ground wire conoperativeness of the arrester and without necessitating manual adjmstment of the ar- From the foregoing description, taken connectionwith the accompanying draw- .ing's, theadvanta es ofthe construction and of the method operation will be readily the invention appertains and while I have described the principle of operation of the 'I invention together with the device which I I now' consider to be the best embodiment thereof, I 'desireto have it understood that .the device shown is merely illustrative and I that such changes may be made as are within 1 the scope of the claimed invention.

- I claim::.

"flan electrode mounted thereon, a ground wire Y each, other with their outer ends in alineconnected with said electrode, a pair of electrodes mounted on said base and spaced;

from said firstmentioned electrode and from ment with the ends'of said first mentioned electrode;;a hollow hardrubber spool having a flange extending radiallytherefrom inter- 1. .A lightning arrester comprising atbase, v

. 2. A lightning arrester comprising a base, f an electrode mounted thereon, a ground wire.-

connected with said electrode, a pair of electrodes mounted on said base and spaced fromsaid first mentioned electrode and from.

each other with their outer-ends in aline- 'ment with the ends of'said first mentioned electrode, a hollow hard rubber spool having a flange extending radially therefrom intermediately of its ends, a pair of wires coiled gon said spool one on each sideof said flange,

one end of each wire being connected with client said pair of electrodes,-cores mounted in-the ends of said spool, plate springs secured at oneend to said support and having electrodes at their other ends positioned to engage said above mentioned electrodes, on

[the inward movement of the springs, said springs being connected intermediately of j e 80 their ends. with said cores, and'm'eans for varying the connection between said springs nected with said electrode, a pair. of electrodes secured to said base at pointsspa'ced from said first mentioned electrode and from each other, the outer ends ofsaid pair of electrodes being in alinement with thexendsinsulating material also mounted on said base and having an annular radially extend-- ing flange intermediate its-.ends'to divide the spool into sections, a wire coiled on each section and secured to, one of said-pair of electrodes at one end and with its other end i I adapted to be secured to the object to'be prothe ground circuit whenjan'excessive current t mentioned elecpasses through jeither wire wound on the.

in presence of two witnesses.

",CLAR'ENGE n. maria s. e. combats,-

JOHN D. Swn'nna'. I

attracted and moved into the p l t l s 

